Ventura Premises Liability Lawyer
Accidents happen, but when they occur on someone else’s property, the rules change. When an accident occurs because of a hazardous condition on the premises, the law of premises liability comes into play to hold the property owner liable for the harm done. Zavala Law can help you do just that. With Matt Zavala’s decade-plus of insurance defense expertise and robust litigation experience, we’re well-equipped to help you navigate the complexities of premises liability claims in Ventura County.
At Zavala Law, we’re not your run-of-the-mill personal injury law firm. We care about the results we get and strive for a successful outcome that meets your needs, but we care just as deeply or more about how you are treated throughout the process and your experience as a client of our firm. That’s why we go out of our way to explain your options and make recommendations, guide you through the process and keep you updated and informed, and make ourselves accessible to you whenever you need us. You’re hurting, you need help getting justice and compensation, and Zavala Law is here for you. Contact our experienced Ventura premises liability lawyer today.
Types of Premises Liability Accidents We Handle
Premises liability law covers all the different ways people can get hurt because of a property owner’s negligence. Our main areas of practice in this field include the following:
- Slip and Fall / Trip and Fall – One of the most common types of premises liability cases, these incidents can occur anywhere from a grocery store to a shopping mall.
- Dog Bites – A seemingly friendly pooch can cause significant injury if not properly controlled by its owner. Dog bites are painful, traumatic, and even fatal, hurting innocent children and adults alike.
- Elevator and Escalator Malfunctions – These accidents might sound straight out of a Hollywood movie, but they happen more often than you’d think. Property owners and maintenance/repair companies might share liability in these complex cases.
- Swimming Pools – From slips on wet surfaces to more severe underwater injuries, including drowning, swimming pools pose unique hazards. California law imposes legal duties on pool owners to guard their premises appropriately.
- Negligent Security – Inadequate security measures can lead to severe harm or even death due to robberies and assaults, including sexual assaults. Yes, property owners can and should be held liable for the harm caused by a third party when their negligence facilitated the attack.
Common Property Owners in Ventura Premises Liability Claims
A premises liability claim can arise anywhere, even at a private residence. More often, though, you’ll find these claims popping up at grocery stores and restaurants (food and drink spills creating slippery surfaces); retail, big box and superstores (merchandise, clutter and displays in the aisles creating tripping hazards; falling boxes striking customers from high shelves); office buildings and apartment complexes (inadequate security or lighting in parking garages and stairwells; unguarded entries or broken locks); and hotels and casinos (all of the above). Zavala Law is ready to take on any property owner and hold them accountable for their negligence, from the local bar and grill to the world’s largest retailer. You need an experienced and effective litigator in your corner to successfully handle your premises liability claim, and you’ll find one here.
Help With the Full Range of Injuries and Legal Damages Under California Law
The severity of an injury and the resulting legal damages can vary greatly in premises liability claims. The range of injuries can include all of the following, for example:
- Sprains and strains
- Lacerations
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Hip and wrist fractures and other broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Psychological/emotional trauma
- Death
Regardless of how severely you were injured, you can count on Zavala Law to ensure you get appropriate medical treatment and that any settlement or judgment accurately reflects the harm you have suffered or will be forced to endure in the future because of your injury. Legal damages recoverable in a California premises liability claim include compensation for harm such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Funeral expenses and other damages in the case of wrongful death
How Zavala Law Helps With Premises Liability Claims in Ventura County
A premises liability claim contains several elements, each one of which must be proven for a successful claim that maximizes compensation. These elements include clearly establishing who owns or controls the property in question, proving that the owner or management either knew or should have known about the hazard yet failed to correct it in a reasonable time, linking the owner’s negligence to the accident as its factual and “legal” cause, and proving the extent of damages. Insurance companies, meanwhile, can fight you at every turn. They’ll blame the accident on the victim’s own negligence, or downplay the severity of the injuries or say they are from a pre-existing condition, or they’ll try to settle the claim quickly for a low amount before you’ve had a chance to talk to a lawyer.
Matt Zavala knows the tactics insurance companies use because he spent over a decade representing insurance companies and their insureds who were facing premises liability and other personal injury claims. Matt’s extensive experience in insurance defense and litigation enables him to craft winning strategies for your case. We go the extra mile to ensure you get not just a positive outcome in the end but also a positive client experience along the way.
Contact Zavala Law Today
Navigating a premises liability claim in Ventura County? Feel like the walls are closing in? Reach out to Zavala Law. We’re here to make the complicated simple and stand up for your rights. Call 805-429-4292 to get started today with a free consultation.
